18 February 2026 | Culture and Education

A new report from UNESCO warns that rapid advances in generative artificial intelligence are reshaping cultural markets — and putting artists’ livelihoods at significant risk.

The findings come from the latest edition of Re|Shaping Policies for Creativity, UNESCO’s flagship global monitoring report covering more than 120 countries.

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📉 Projected Income Losses by 2028

According to UNESCO’s projections:

• 🎵 Music creators could see revenues fall by 24%
• 🎬 Audiovisual workers may lose 21% of income
• AI-generated content is expanding rapidly in global markets
• Policy responses are not keeping pace with technological change

The report stresses that these disruptions are unfolding faster than governments can regulate them, increasing economic vulnerability across the creative sector.

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🎭 Why Artists Are Under Pressure

While digital platforms have opened new distribution channels, they have also introduced new risks:

• Increased exposure to intellectual property violations
• Reduced compensation per stream or digital use
• Competition from AI-generated outputs
• Opaque algorithms limiting content visibility

UNESCO warns that AI tools are flooding markets with synthetic music, images, scripts and video content, competing directly with human creators.

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🌍 A Growing Creative Digital Divide

Global inequalities compound the problem:

• 67% of people in developed countries possess essential digital skills
• Only 28% in developing countries do

This imbalance limits creators in the Global South from fully benefiting from digital opportunities.

In addition:

• Major streaming platforms dominate global distribution
• Algorithmic visibility favors already-established creators
• Smaller or independent artists struggle for exposure

This widens disparities within the creative economy.

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🏛️ Policy Gaps and Needed Action

UNESCO Director-General Khaled El-Enany described the current moment as a turning point for the global creative economy.

The report reviews over 8,100 cultural policy measures and calls for:

• Stronger copyright protections
• Fair remuneration systems
• Transparent AI training datasets
• Regulation of generative AI markets
• Increased public investment in cultural sectors
• International cooperation on digital governance

Without intervention, UNESCO warns that artists risk further marginalization as technology evolves.

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🔎 Broader Implications

This is not only an economic issue.

Creative industries contribute to:

• Cultural diversity
• Social cohesion
• Democratic discourse
• Economic growth
• Sustainable Development Goals

If creators’ incomes decline sharply, long-term cultural sustainability may weaken.

17 February 2026 | Peace and Security

As Ramadan begins in Gaza, families are trying to preserve traditions of joy and togetherness despite two years of war, displacement and economic collapse.

For many, the holy month now unfolds under tents pitched beside the rubble of destroyed homes.

Life beside the ruins

Walid Al-Assi once celebrated Ramadan with family meals and sweets such as qatayef. Today, he lives in a makeshift tent in Gaza City’s Al-Zarqa neighbourhood, beside what remains of his home.

He told UN News that while goods are visible in shops, he cannot afford them.

“Everything has changed now… I turn my face away from goods because I do not have the money to buy them.”

Suffering from diabetes and high blood pressure, and unable to walk easily, he says those living in tents urgently need assistance.

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“We are living in a tragedy”

Nearby, Amal Al-Samri and her family try to create a symbolic Ramadan atmosphere. She smiles for her children as they sit outside their tent, but says life before the war was entirely different.

“Our life was beautiful… Today, there is nothing.”

The family has faced repeated displacement, flooding from seawater, and severe shortages of electricity and clean water.

According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA):

• Around 1.4 million people — nearly two thirds of Gaza’s population — are displaced
• Approximately 1,000 displacement sites are operating
• Most consist of overcrowded tents with little privacy or protection

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High prices and limited purchasing power

Despite hardship, Ramadan decorations have appeared in Gaza City’s historic Zawiya market.

However, shop owners report severe price increases due to restricted supply flows.

Luay Al-Jamasi, who sells Ramadan lanterns, explained:

• A lantern that once cost 30 shekels now costs 60
• Limited goods entering Gaza have driven prices sharply upward

Many families walk through the market without buying anything, unable to afford even small decorations.

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Holding onto hope

Even amid hardship, residents express determination to celebrate in their own way.

Maher Tarzi, a member of Gaza’s Christian community, visited the market singing traditional Ramadan songs in solidarity.

“People want to be happy… We’ve been through some difficult times, and it’s good that we’re still alive.”

He noted that while people try to resume daily life, purchasing power has dramatically declined.

At night, some areas glow faintly with lantern light — small symbols of resilience in a landscape marked by destruction.

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Humanitarian Context

The humanitarian crisis in Gaza remains severe:

• Massive housing destruction
• Limited electricity and water access
• Continued displacement
• Economic collapse
• Strained humanitarian response

Ramadan, a month traditionally centred on community, generosity and shared meals, now highlights both deprivation and resilience.

13 February 2026 | Peace and Security

Syria’s fragile political transition has taken an important step forward following a landmark agreement between Damascus and Kurdish authorities in the northeast. However, renewed violence in other regions, Israeli military activity, and deep humanitarian needs continue to threaten stability.

Breakthrough in the Northeast

Briefing the Security Council, Deputy Special Envoy Claudio Cordone described the 30 January ceasefire and integration agreement between the Syrian Government and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) as potentially transformative.

The agreement includes:

• Phased military and administrative integration of northeast Syria
• Provisions for the return of displaced persons
• Protection of Kurdish civil and educational rights
• Implementation measures linked to Presidential Decree 13

Cordone reported that hostilities have ceased in the northeast and implementation planning is progressing, including deployments of Ministry of Interior forces in Al-Hasakeh and Qamishli.

The United Nations Security Council welcomed the deal in a presidential statement, urging adherence to prevent civilian suffering and avoid security gaps around ISIL (Da’esh) detention facilities.

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Sensitive ISIL detention issue

The UN continues monitoring transfers of Syrian and foreign ISIL suspects to Iraq. Cordone stressed that judicial proceedings must meet fair trial standards and called on Member States to repatriate their nationals swiftly.

The management of detention facilities remains a key security concern.

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Ongoing tensions elsewhere

Despite relative calm in the northeast, instability persists:

🔹 Sweida (South)

• Renewed clashes between Government forces and local armed groups
• Damage to infrastructure and electricity outages
• Protests calling for self-determination

🔹 Southern Syria

The UN envoy raised concern over Israeli incursions and operations in southern Syria, urging:

• Respect for international law
• Compliance with the 1974 Disengagement of Forces Agreement
• Withdrawal from occupied areas
• Pursuit of mutually acceptable security arrangements

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Humanitarian situation remains severe

According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA):

• Around 130,000 people remain displaced across Al-Hasakeh, Ar-Raqqa, and Aleppo
• Over 90% of the displaced are women and girls
• Flooding in Idleb and northern Latakia recently killed two children and damaged around 2,000 tents

However, modest improvements are reported:

• 200,000 people reached with assistance
• 170 humanitarian truck movements organized
• Electricity restored in Ain al-Arab (Kobane)

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Political transition milestones

The next key development is the formation of Syria’s new People’s Assembly. Most elected seats were voted in October 2025, with further appointments pending.

Cordone emphasized that:

• All regions and communities must be meaningfully represented
• Human rights protections are essential
• Transitional justice and accountability for missing persons are critical

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Role of Syrian women

The Deputy Envoy highlighted the “extraordinary role” of Syrian women and civil society throughout the conflict, stressing that women’s participation is essential for inclusive governance and sustainable peace.

February 2026 | Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Amid widening inequality and growing strain on public trust, the United Nations’ main intergovernmental forum on social policy concluded its annual session with renewed calls to transform global commitments into concrete national action.

The Commission for Social Development, meeting at UN Headquarters in New York from 2 to 10 February, marked its first session since the Second World Summit for Social Development in Doha in 2025.

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A post-Doha moment

The session focused on advancing social justice through coordinated, equitable and inclusive policies, reflecting concerns that fragmented policymaking is slowing progress on poverty eradication and decent work.

Lok Bahadur Thapa, President of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), warned that:

• Widening inequality
• Demographic shifts
• Rapid digital and green transitions

are testing social cohesion worldwide.

Responding with integrated, people-centred policies, he said, is not just a policy choice but a moral imperative.

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What is the Commission for Social Development?

Established in 1946 under United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), the Commission is the UN’s primary body dedicated to social development.

Over decades, it has shaped global frameworks on:

• Poverty eradication
• Employment and decent work
• Universal social protection
• Inclusion of vulnerable groups

Its work builds on landmark agreements such as:

• The 1995 Copenhagen Declaration
• The 2025 Doha Political Declaration

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From commitments to delivery

In a message to delegates, Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed emphasized that Doha signalled a shift toward more ambitious, coordinated action.

More than 700 NGOs participated in the session, underscoring strong civil society engagement.

“If Copenhagen, Doha and the 2030 Agenda are where we drew the map, then the Commission sets us on the road,” she said.

General Assembly President Annalena Baerbock stressed that social development is the foundation of peace and long-term stability.

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Coordinating policy in a changing world

Delegates repeatedly highlighted the need for policy coherence by aligning:

• Employment strategies
• Universal social protection floors
• Inclusive health and education systems
• Just-transition measures

Emerging issues discussed included:

• Labour market disruption
• Artificial intelligence and digital transformation
• Demographic change
• Climate-related stress

While new technologies pose risks, delegates agreed they can accelerate progress toward the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development if governed inclusively.

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Youth mental health in focus

A key moment of the session was the launch of the World Youth Report on Youth Mental Health and Well-being.

Youth representatives highlighted:

• Rising anxiety linked to economic uncertainty
• Climate stress
• Conflict exposure
• Digital harms

They called for preventive, community-based, and youth-responsive mental health strategies.

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Resolutions adopted

At the close of the session, Member States endorsed two draft resolutions:

1. Advancing social development and social justice through coordinated and inclusive policies
2. Addressing social dimensions of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development

The outcomes will inform:

• The High-Level Political Forum in July
• ECOSOC’s broader policy work
• Preparations for a high-level review of social development commitments in 2031

10 February 2026 | Peace and Security

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has warned that renewed fighting in Ethiopia’s Tigray region could trigger another humanitarian and human rights crisis, urging all parties to de-escalate immediately.

Situation “highly volatile”

Volker Türk said the region remains deeply fragile after the devastating 2020–2022 war, and that recent clashes risk undoing hard-won but fragile gains.

“The situation remains highly volatile and we fear it will further deteriorate,” he said, warning of worsening human rights and humanitarian conditions.

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Background: A war that uprooted millions

Between 2020 and 2022, fighting between Ethiopia’s federal government and Tigray forces—reportedly involving Eritrean troops—killed tens of thousands and displaced over two million people.

Today, approximately one million people remain internally displaced, still struggling to rebuild their lives.

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Renewed clashes

According to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), fighting intensified on 26 January near the Amhara border between:

• The Ethiopian National Defence Forces (ENDF)
• The regional Tigray Security Forces (TSF)

The TSF reportedly withdrew from the Tselemti area on 1 February.

Heavy weaponry, including drones and artillery, has been used by both sides.

Reports also indicate:

• Arrests of civilians perceived as affiliated with opposing forces
• Ongoing clashes in southern and southeastern Tigray
• Fighting between TSF and the rival “Tigray Peace Forces” faction

Türk stressed that civilians are once again caught between rival forces.

“This must stop,” he said, calling for independent investigations into alleged abuses.

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Pretoria Agreement under strain

UN officials are urging parties to recommit to the Pretoria Agreement, the 2022 peace deal that formally ended the previous war.

Spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani warned that:

• Confidence-building measures have stalled
• The return of internally displaced persons has not progressed as expected
• New clashes could erupt “at any point”

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Regional tensions with Eritrea

The High Commissioner also raised alarm over rising tensions between Ethiopia and neighbouring Eritrea, warning that disputes linked to Tigray could destabilize the wider Horn of Africa.

Reports of Eritrean troop presence and growing diplomatic friction heighten fears of renewed cross-border escalation.

“We cannot afford a return to what happened in 2020 and 2021,” Shamdasani said.

6 February 2026 | Peace and Security

The ongoing war in Ukraine continues to pose serious risks to nuclear safety, as repeated attacks on the country’s energy infrastructure disrupt power supplies to nuclear facilities, the head of the UN nuclear watchdog has warned.

Grid strikes threaten nuclear operations

According to International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director-General Rafael Grossi, recent military activity targeting Ukraine’s electrical grid has once again impacted nuclear power plant operations.

Over the weekend:

• Power lines connecting Ukraine to neighbouring countries were disconnected
• Electricity supply disruptions occurred across multiple regions
• One nuclear reactor unit automatically shut down due to grid fluctuations
• Other units reduced power output to maintain safety

At the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant, the site of the 1986 disaster, offsite power was completely lost, forcing reliance on emergency diesel generators for roughly one hour.

Grossi described the situation as a reminder of the “ever-present risks to nuclear safety and security” caused by deteriorating grid conditions.

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The Seven Indispensable Pillars

In March 2022, shortly after the invasion began, the IAEA established seven core safety principles to protect Ukraine’s nuclear facilities during armed conflict.

These include:

1. Maintaining the physical integrity of nuclear facilities
2. Ensuring reliable offsite power supply
3. Protecting radiation monitoring systems
4. Guaranteeing operational staff can perform duties without pressure
5. Securing communication systems
6. Protecting supply chains
7. Ensuring emergency preparedness measures remain intact

Grossi called for maximum military restraint to allow essential repairs and to uphold these pillars.

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IAEA inspections continue

As damage to the energy grid accumulates, three IAEA technical teams are conducting a two-week mission to inspect 10 substations critical to nuclear safety.

Their objectives include:

• Assessing ongoing infrastructure damage
• Reviewing repair progress
• Identifying ways to strengthen resilience of offsite power supplies

This is the second such mission in two months. A December inspection already confirmed the cumulative strain on plant operations and staff.

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WHO Appeals to Protect Ukraine’s Health System

Alongside nuclear safety concerns, the World Health Organization (WHO) has launched a $42 million appeal for 2026 to support healthcare services for approximately 700,000 people.

Since early 2022:

• More than 2,800 attacks on healthcare facilities have been verified
• Repeated strikes on energy infrastructure have disrupted hospitals
• Nearly half the population reports mental health concerns

WHO aims to sustain:

• Emergency and trauma care
• Primary healthcare services
• Medical evacuations from frontline areas

Last year alone, WHO supported nearly two million people, including over 1,200 medical evacuations.

Dr. Jarno Habicht, WHO Representative in Ukraine, warned:

“Ukraine’s humanitarian health needs remain immense, and the pressure on the health system is not easing.”

3 February 2026 | Humanitarian Aid

Sudan is now the world’s most severe humanitarian emergency, the United Nations’ top relief official warned at a donor conference in Washington, DC, calling for urgent funding and stronger diplomatic action as the conflict approaches its third year.

“Too many days of famine and brutality”

Tom Fletcher, the UN Emergency Relief Coordinator, said the conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has plunged millions into famine, displacement and extreme vulnerability.

“There have been too many days of famine, of brutal atrocities, of lives uprooted and destroyed,” he said, highlighting that women and girls continue to face “terrifying sexual violence.”

Fighting began in April 2023 and rapidly spread across a country already struggling with political instability, ethnic tensions and climate shocks.

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Move from concern to concrete action

Mr. Fletcher urged governments and regional powers to shift from statements of concern to practical measures:

• Increased humanitarian funding
• Political pressure for a ceasefire
• Guarantees of safe humanitarian access

The UN supports diplomatic efforts led by the “Quad” —

• United States
• Egypt
• Saudi Arabia
• United Arab Emirates

These efforts aim to secure a humanitarian truce and demilitarize key areas to allow aid to reach civilians.

“The guns must fall silent and a path to peace must be charted,” Fletcher said.

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UN 2026 humanitarian response plan

Under its 2026 response framework, the United Nations aims to reach more than 20 million people across Sudan.

To do so, it requires approximately $2.9 billion in funding.

However, money alone is not enough. Fletcher stressed that:

• Aid workers must have safe, unhindered access
• Civilians must be protected
• Blockades and bureaucratic obstacles must end

“Let today be at last the signal that the world is uniting in solidarity for practical impact,” he said.

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Crisis intensifies on the ground

While diplomatic discussions continue, fighting has escalated in parts of South Kordofan. Media reports indicate government forces entered Kadugli after months of siege and recently broke the blockade of Dilling.

Meanwhile, displacement continues to surge.

According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR):

• 11.7 million people have been forcibly displaced
  • 7 million internally displaced
  • 4.5 million have fled to neighbouring countries

In camps and makeshift settlements, displaced families face:

• Severe food shortages
• Limited healthcare
• Inadequate water and sanitation
• Insufficient shelter
• Disrupted education

United Nations peacekeepers temporarily suspended patrols and several operational activities along parts of the Blue Line in southern Lebanon after the Israeli military announced it would release what it described as a non-toxic chemical substance near the frontier.

According to UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric, the incident occurred north of the Blue Line on Sunday morning, leading to the suspension of more than a dozen peacekeeping activities for over nine hours.

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) advised peacekeepers to stay clear of the area during the operation.

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Toxicology tests underway

Peacekeepers from the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) assisted the Lebanese Armed Forces in collecting samples of the substance for toxicological analysis.

As of Monday afternoon, results of the tests had not yet been released.

The incident has raised concerns not only about troop safety but also about potential risks to:

• Civilians living near the frontier
• Agricultural land
• Long-term efforts to stabilize border communities

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What is the Blue Line?

The Blue Line stretches roughly 120 kilometres along Lebanon’s southern border. It was established by the United Nations in 2000 as a “line of withdrawal” to confirm Israel’s withdrawal from southern Lebanon.

It is not an internationally recognized border, but it serves as a key reference point for maintaining calm between Lebanon and Israel.

UN officials reiterated concerns about flight activity across the Blue Line, noting that such actions violate United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701, which ended the 2006 hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah and defines UNIFIL’s mandate.

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Broader security context

Tensions along the Blue Line have remained fragile since renewed cross-border violence erupted following the outbreak of the Gaza war. A cessation of hostilities agreement was signed in November 2024, but sporadic incidents have continued.

UNIFIL emphasized that this was not the first time unknown substances had reportedly been dropped from aircraft over Lebanon. The mission called on the IDF to halt such activities and cooperate with peacekeepers to preserve stability.

“Any activity that may put peacekeepers and civilians at risk is of serious concern,” said Mr. Dujarric.

The UN reiterated its call for all parties to fully comply with Security Council resolution 1701 and to avoid actions that could escalate tensions or endanger civilians.

Holocaust survivor Marion Blumenthal Lazan delivered a deeply moving testimony at the United Nations Holocaust Memorial ceremony in New York, urging people everywhere to confront hatred by choosing “love, respect and compassion” in their daily lives.

Addressing the General Assembly Hall alongside one of her great-grandchildren, Mrs. Lazan recounted her childhood under Nazi persecution—describing a journey from a comfortable life in northwest Germany to detention, deportation, and survival in Bergen-Belsen concentration camp.

“We children saw things that no one, no matter what the age, should ever have to see,” she told delegates.

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From ordinary life to persecution

Born in Hoya, Germany, Mrs. Lazan described how her family’s life changed dramatically after the Nuremberg Laws of 1935 stripped Jewish families of their rights.

On Kristallnacht in November 1938, their home was ransacked and her father was deported to Buchenwald concentration camp, released only weeks later because the family had secured emigration papers.

In 1939, the family fled to the Netherlands, hoping to reach the United States—but history intervened.

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Trapped and deported

After Germany invaded the Netherlands in 1940, the family was interned in Westerbork transit camp, which later became a departure point for mass deportations to extermination camps.

“Every Tuesday morning, men, women and children were marched to the trains,” she recalled.
“Of the 120,000 deported from Westerbork, 102,000 never returned.”

In January 1944, nine-year-old Marion and her family were transported in cattle cars to Bergen-Belsen, arriving on a freezing, rain-soaked night.

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Life in Bergen-Belsen

Mrs. Lazan described conditions of extreme overcrowding, starvation, disease and terror:

• 600 people crammed into barracks built for 100
• One thin blanket for two people in bitter winter cold
• Minimal food—often just bread and watery soup
• No sanitation, soap, or privacy
• Regular roll calls lasting all day without food or water

She recalled treating frostbite with urine for warmth, tripping over uncollected bodies, and living in constant fear.

“Fear was the worst emotion to deal with,” she said.

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A child’s survival instincts

To cope, she created games of imagination. One superstition sustained her: if she could find four matching pebbles, it meant her family would survive.

Her mother’s courage and strength, she said, were decisive in her survival. She recalled a moment when boiling soup spilled onto her leg during a secret cooking attempt—and how, at age ten, she knew that crying out could mean death.

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Liberation and loss

In spring 1945, the family was transported again—this time toward extermination camps in Eastern Europe. After 14 days without food or water, their train was liberated by the Soviet army near Troibitz, Germany.

Only 500 of the 2,500 people on board survived.

Though liberated, tragedy continued. Mrs. Lazan’s father died of typhus six weeks later, after years of imprisonment and abuse.

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Rebuilding life in the United States

In 1948, Marion, her mother, and brother emigrated to the United States, settling in Illinois. Unable to speak English, she was placed in a fourth-grade class at age 13.

Through determination, night work, and summer school, she graduated high school ranked among the top students in her class. She later married, raised a family, and today celebrates five generations of survival.

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A message to the world

Holding the yellow star she was forced to wear as a child, Mrs. Lazan warned of the dangers of hatred and dehumanisation.

“Each and every one of us must do everything in our power to prevent such hatred from recurring.”

Her message was simple—and urgent:

“How we treat, behave, and reach out to one another—that is entirely up to us.”

“Do not let negativity win. Choose love, respect and compassion.”

Sugary drinks and alcohol are too cheap and too widely available in much of the world, fuelling rising rates of obesity, diabetes, cancer and injury, the World Health Organization warned on Tuesday.

In response, WHO is urging governments to significantly increase and redesign taxes on sugar-sweetened beverages and alcoholic drinks, following the release of two new global reports showing that current tax levels remain insufficient in many regions.

“Health taxes have been shown to reduce consumption of these harmful products, helping to prevent disease and reduce the burden on health systems,” said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General.
“At the same time, they generate revenue that can be invested in health, education and social protection.”

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What the new reports show

Sugary drinks

The WHO report on sugar-sweetened beverage taxes finds that:

• 116 countries tax sugary drinks such as sodas and carbonated beverages
• However, many high-sugar products escape taxation, including:
  • 100% fruit juices
  • Sweetened milk drinks
  • Ready-to-drink coffees and teas

As a result, consumers often switch to equally sugary alternatives that remain untaxed.

Alcohol

The report on alcohol taxation shows that:

• 167 countries tax beer, wine and spirits
• Yet alcohol has become more affordable or stayed the same price in most countries since 2022
• This is largely because taxes are not adjusted for inflation or rising incomes

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Why it matters for public health

Regular consumption of sugary drinks is strongly linked to:

• Excess weight and obesity
• Type 2 diabetes
• Cardiovascular disease
• Dental decay and osteoporosis

Alcohol consumption is associated with:

• Increased risks to maternal and child health
• Higher exposure to communicable and non-communicable diseases
• Mental-health harm
• Greater risk of injury and violence

WHO stresses that raising taxes consistently leads to lower consumption of these harmful products.

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Proof that taxes work

WHO Director-General Tedros highlighted the United Kingdom as a successful example. After introducing a sugary drinks tax in 2018:

• Sugar consumption fell
• The policy generated £338 million in revenue in 2024 alone
• Obesity rates declined among girls aged 10–11, particularly in deprived communities

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A broader health push

The call to raise beverage taxes is part of a new WHO health initiative aimed at reducing:

• Tobacco use
• Harmful alcohol consumption
• Excessive intake of sugary drinks

WHO is urging governments to see health taxes not as punishment, but as a proven, cost-effective tool to:

• Save lives
• Reduce pressure on health systems
• Fund essential public services